


Children of the Galaxy

by imamotherfuckingstarlord



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars The Mandalorian, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Adorable Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV), F/M, Other, Star Wars - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:07:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23062222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imamotherfuckingstarlord/pseuds/imamotherfuckingstarlord
Summary: Three orphans find a life together; Din's childhood friend accompanies the Mandalorian and the child - together the seek a peaceful place to settle down.
Relationships: Baby Yoda & The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), Din Djarin/Reader, The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Reader, The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/You
Kudos: 42





	1. Shosnee

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy this!

The ship is cold and quiet; there is a little humming from a vent behind me but other than that, it is peaceful. It has been twenty days since I have left my post at my guild to help an old childhood friend out – we have been hunted down for nearly all that time, but it seems, for now, we are safe. My head hurts from the lack of sleep, too much traveling. I want to settle down for a bit and when I brought this up to my travel companion, he agreed. Now we are traveling to a small green planet tucked in a constellation not many know of, a promising prospect.  
  
A small gurgle comes from under the table I am sitting at, I lean back to see what it is – the child is looking up at me, his little green arms are positioned up to me and I smile. I pick him up and place him on my lap, he must need a nap too. We relax together, his head against my chest as I sing a quiet song; I do not remember much of my mother or my father –time has faded my memories, I was orphaned at a young age but this song, I remember. It is an old scripture about the many moons and suns in the galaxy, and how only the truly brave will find them all. It talks about the legacy of this force that balances life out – it is sweet, and it used to put me to sleep when the woman who took me in at seven, would sing it to me.  
  
I sing in my native tongue, rocking the child in my arms, and do not notice the audience until I gaze up when the child’s eyes fall with sleep. Din is standing there in his Beskar armor and I try to remember his face from before – we were from the same village when the battle droids came and destroyed everyone and thing in sight; my parents hid me and distracted a droid to give me a chance. In the end, there was little left in our village and when the Mandalorians came, Din was taken in as a foundling and I was taken in by an elderly woman that survived and knew my parents. I did not see him for nearly twenty years after that, I had found my way into a bounty guild when I was seventeen. I was trained and raised into a makeshift family, slowly working my way through odd jobs. One day, I go into a guild establishment and notice a Mandalorian sitting alone, it surprises me, but I think of my old friend and walk straight up the table.  
  
“I’m sorry to bother you, but do you know a Din Djarin? He was a childhood friend; I know he was taken as a foundling.”  
  
It seems absurd and shame washes over me but the Mandalorian’s helmet tilts up to me and he says my name. I want to cry but do not, this is not the time or place, instead I sit across from Din and smile. “I always wondered what happened to you.”  
  
“I became a Mandalorian.”  
  
I laugh. “I have eyes, Din.”  
  
He shifts uncomfortably. “No one has called me that name since I was a boy.”  
  
I apologize but he says it is fine.  
  
We talk for a long time, catching up and trading bounty stories, and when it is time to say goodbye – we promise to keep in touch – and we do.  
  
“How much longer until Shosnee?”  
  
“Not much,” he answers, walking to the table. He remains standing but I could see that his body is relaxed – he must be as relieved as I am to finally have some peace. “We have one more jump and we’ll be there, how is he?”  
  
I look down at the child, he is fast sleep. “He’s okay, it will be good for him to stretch his legs once we land. He’s a child, he needs stability.”  
  
Din says nothing and I watch as he reaches over for the box of food portions on the table. “Are you hungry?”  
  
I huff. “I rather eat that damn egg the Jawa’s had you procure from them – I need real food and so does he.”  
  
“You need to eat,” he insists and this time, I say nothing; just watch as he takes two bowls and the canteen. He pours the powder into each bowl and then the water, the food rises like bread but greener and tasteless. I can not wait to cook a proper meal, but I am hungry, so I thank him when he slides a bowl over to me. The smell must have woken the child because little green fingers wiggle in the air and I laugh, sitting him up on the table. Din watches as I rip a piece of the bread and hand it to the child before indulging a piece for myself.  
  
“I’ll be in the cockpit,” he says, grabbing his bowl, and I feel slightly disappointed. He never eats with us and I understand why, but still, it somehow stings each time. I smile up at him and nod, pretending to be invested in the food and my green colored company – which after he walks off, I am.  
  
My heart is full and heavy; the foundling in my arms has me feeling a maternal instinct I have never felt – I grew up a sweet child but when my caregiver passed, I was left to fend for myself and it hardened me. I never had anyone until I had my guild and I can not help but feel guilty for leaving them behind. Yet, there is a surge of warmth in my chest when the child’s eyes gaze up into mine; he coos and makes grabby hands for more food. I oblige and sit him down next to me, taking a piece of bread for myself before giving him the bowl.  
  
“Stay here,” I tell him as I get up from the seat. I chew as slow as my feet cross the room until I get to the ladder that leads up to the cockpit- I want to respect Din’s privacy and know that no living being can see him without his helmet on but I am only human. The curiosity eats me up at times but he is my friend and I would never compromise that with my own need to see his face; to feel my palm on his cheek and to look into his eyes like I had did as a child.  
  
There is a tug at the helm of my pants, I look down to see the child.  
  
“You’re a fast one, aren’t you?” I reach down for him and place him on the ladder, kissing the top of his head. “Maybe you can be my spy?”  
  
It was wrong but I still coax him up, helping him climb the ladder. He is unstable and clings to the bars and I laugh too loud, forgetting entirely what I was up to. The child giggles when I wiggle him, pretending he is going to fall but catching him in the nick of time. We are both enjoying ourselves until I gaze up and see Din’s shiny armor looking down at me; he kneels, and his helmet provides me with an abstract imagine of myself.  
  
“The two of you should buckle up, we’ll be taking the last jump soon.”  
  
I feel slightly embarrassed but smile when the foundling clings to me like a baby and I hold him tight as I descend the ladder – a few minutes later I am buckled next to Din, who helms the ship. He’s looking straight forward and does not notice me staring – it’s the Beskar armor, it constantly puts me into a spell; feverish longing to see the man underneath.  
  
“Stop staring.”  
  
I guess he does notice, and I clear my throat, looking at the child in my arms. His skin is as green as my envy of everyone in the galaxy that gets to sleep at night feeling safe, to not have to look over their shoulder in anticipation of someone hunting them.  
  
“I’m tired of traveling, I hope this place works– it’s so far out, no one should come looking.” I touch the foundling’s cheek. “Not even for him.”  
  
We take the jump, we’re in a different constellation and I have a good feeling. A good beat later, we are docked by a village of the planet Shosnee – it’s green, it doesn’t smell, and the natives are friendly; it feels like a win. Yet, Din feels the need to go explore first, make his rounds in the village, and see about lodging.  
  
“…and food,” I call out to him, watching as he steps off the ramp onto the dirt. He turns to us, the child clings to my leg and I wave to him. I wonder if he is smiling under the helmet, I know I am and it’s clear on my face – I have hope springing from my toes upward and I do not care how curious it may look. He does not wave back but I do not expect him to, and it would be shocking if he did. My eyes stay glue to his back as he disappears further into the village and I gaze around.  
  
“Should we explore close to the ship, there’s a little pond over there.”  
  
I kneel to the foundling and grin, tickling him under his chin. His fingers wrap around one of mine and I repeat my question, and when he smiles, I take that as a yes. I stand up and stretch, motioning for him to follow me down the ramp. We make our way slowly, a few paces, to the pond and when we reach the edge, I bend down and dip my fingers into the water. He watches me with wide set eyes and flinches when I splash him with water. He is stun and I am amused, his long ears twitch and he takes one too many steps forward. I grab him by the hem of his dress robe and laugh.  
  
“Let’s not drown today, okay?” I bring him to a safe distance and sit down, unlacing my boots while keeping a watchful eye on him. He waits patiently and I stick my tongue out at him; he mimics, and I am proud. My feet wiggle free and I stick them straight into the pond, pulling the child over my shins. I bounce my legs and splash water with my toes, and he coos and giggles. I feel calm and at peace, in fact, I could stay in this moment forever; relaxing with the child, letting him get some fresh air and room to stretch. He was a growing being, apparently 50, and deserves stability.  
  
I yawn, it seems the peacefulness has given way to my inability to keep my eyes open. I pick up the child and lean all the way down to the lush green grass, holding him up in the air for a moment. He seems to feel the same, because his eyes slowly rise and fall, and I pull him down to me. He settles against my chest and I place a warm hand on his back, massaging him until both of us are fast asleep.


	2. Little Frog

A cold touch on my hand wakes me, it’s Din; he has secured temporary lodge and bought us some food, it’s back at the hut. I blink a few times as he explains all this, and the light illuminates the outline of his helmet like an angel and I almost reach up to touch the side of it. Instead I yawn and ask him to take the child, he does and holds out a hand to help me off the ground. I’m dizzy as he pulls me up, and I must hold on to his shoulder. The Beskar armor feels cool under my palm, he holds onto the child but reaches his free hand to my waist – he asks if I am fine.  
  
“I’m hungry,” I admit, “Tired too.”  
  
“I was gone for nearly an hour.”  
  
I let my hand fall from his shoulder, and he lets go of my waist, I hold my hand out for him to give me the foundling. “All the traveling and fighting as weaken my body, I need more sleep and food – real food.”  
  
“Take the child,” he hands me the foundling. “We can grab our things tomorrow; I’ll take you to the hut and prepare us some food.”  
  
I grin. “So, no more stale bread?”  
  
Din chuckles flatly. “No stale bread.”  
  
…  
  
We settle into the village and the child falls in well with the local children; they find his frog eating mildly disturbing but nonetheless, take him in as their own. My favorite thing to do is watch as he studies them, examines the way they play and act, picking up social cues and mimicking them. I have witness improvement in his motor skills and can see the happiness clearly on his face each morning he wakes up – he usually sleeps with me but when I am restless, Din takes him to his hut; it’s within three steps of mine. The child goes back and forth between our huts and Din and I spend most days working small jobs to earn enough to buy the help to build our own hut. I planned out the blueprints, and sometimes it feels silly – can we truly accomplish this?  
  
“Do you believe this is long term?”  
  
“For you two, yes.”  
  
Din’s answer hurts my feelings and I’m not entirely sure why- maybe it’s because we have spent nearly forty days together and I have gotten use to having him around. I’m most certainly attached to the child and I believe he sees me as his mother, and Din as his father. I have never spoken this thought out loud but I’m sure Din senses it too.  
  
“No one has come looking in a while, I think we’re safe,” I press. We are sitting side by side on the steps of the hut, watching as the child runs around with some of the children. “They call him Little Frog; did you know that?”  
  
“He stopped eating frogs weeks ago,” Din says.  
  
“Well, I am an excellent cook, don’t you think? I notice when you take a plate to your hut, it’s quite full.”  
  
“I enjoy the food. Where did you learn to cook?”  
  
I sigh and lean back onto my elbows, eyes squinting up at the afternoon sky. “The elderly woman that took me in, after the attack – after you left.”  
  
Neither of us say a word, sometimes it is too painful to think about those times because it is a reminder of what both of us could have had; our families.  
  
“They wanted to make you a foundling,” he whispers, and I straighten up, feeling a bit shock as he continues to watch the child running around. “But the woman spoke up and said she would take you in – that she knew your parents.”  
  
“I used to help her make bread to trade for,” I explain, remembering the smell of the fresh bread and flour that always ended up in my hair. “She was kind, but I mostly raised myself. I am grateful she took me in though, although it was hard for me when you left.”  
  
He says nothing and we continue to watch the Little Frog chase after his friends, but I can not help but think of my own childhood before the attack – I was happy with my parents, from what I remember. I was loved and felt safe and laughed every single day – even on the bad ones. My childhood was great, but it was ripped away with a harshness and torment that still haunts me in my sleep – my restless nights. That experience altered my life forever and I don’t want that for the child.  
“I will do anything to keep him safe,” I say softly, feeling tears forming in my eyes. I sigh deeply and attempt to control my voice. “I understand now, how my parents felt then.”  
  
Din shifts and I know I have prodded too much. Not wanting to push, I touch his shoulder before getting up. The sun is starting to set, it is getting cold out – I tell Din I have broth cooking in my hut, and he agrees to gather the child in a few minutes so I can serve dinner. I walk up to the top step, look beyond where the children are playing to the small forest – I have not gone in a walk in a long time.  
  
“I’m going to go explore the forest tomorrow morning, will you watch the Little Frog?”  
  
He looks up over his shoulder to me, even through the mask I can sense his discomfort about my solo venture which makes me smile for some reason. I turn to the hut, but he speaks.  
  
“Y/N, don’t go without a weapon.”  
  
I don’t argue, it’s smart advice. “I will – dinner in ten.”  
  
….  
  
The forest isn’t too dense, but it is nice and quiet – the whole planet is nice and quiet. There is a path foraged by the locals and I walk it briskly, admiring the different plants and flowers. Holstered on my belt is my blaster, left untouched. I think about the child, who I left in the arms of Din – the odd pair watched from the steps as I waved them off, leaving them behind to start their day.  
My brisk walk quickly turns into a run, my boots hit light on the ground and the smell of the trees makes its way up my nostrils and straight into my chest; I feel light and at ease as I run farther into the forest. I start to think of lunch, what I was going to make for the boys – the boys, that is what I have taken to calling Din and the child, only in my head, of course.  
As I run, I am reminded of my childhood, the walks my parents would take me on in the mornings; our village was not like this one, less green but they would hold my hand and tell me stories as we strolled. I miss them every day, the little, fading memories I have left of them. I run faster, my heart beating with adrenaline as I venture from the cleared path – I am leaping over various tree trunks and I am too cocky as I approach a giant tree log. The locals might have cut it down for wood and I think I can clear it, so I leap forward and nearly make it, but my boot gets caught on a smaller branch and I fly forward.  
  
I land violently on my elbow; I know instantly it’s fractured – the pain has me reeling. “Blast!”  
  
My yell is mighty but feeble, I lay on the ground with my injured arm on my chest. I know not to move or put pressure on arm, so I just lay on my back looking up at the sky. It feels odd being so close to the ground, which makes me, again, think of the child. His perspective is so encompass to the soil, he is a tiny creature, walks real slow and now, as I gaze up to the sky, bits of sun shining through the top of the tress, I see how beautiful the world must look to him.  
  
“Blast,” I whisper this time, tears forming in my eyes because it has finally hit me. It was clearer than my attempt to jump the log, the feelings I was having lately - I love the child like my own and I will do anything in my power to make sure he continues to see the world beautiful through his little dark eyes and no one was going take that away from me. I am as much of his as he is mine ; I am a mother now and no longer an orphan in the world.  
  
The tears pour out of my eyes and the pain of my elbow is suffocated by the fact that I am no longer alone in this world, and there is nothing more that I want in the moment than to see my son. So, I take a deep breath and sit up with my good. Letting out a breath, I relax and examine my surroundings; I need to get back to the village and get myself mended, Din will have to barter for some supplies but nothing too fancy is needed.  
  
“Are you hurt?”  
  
Speak of the devil; I turn my head to the left to see Din standing there with the child at his feet. They both look so concern, it makes me laugh.  
  
“She’s hurt,” Din says to the foundling, who watches as he steps toward me. “What happen?”  
  
I explain my sudden need to exert myself, looking past him to the child. I smile at him and hold out my hand. “Come here, Little Frog.”  
  
He toddles forward, he really is a slow walker, but I do not mind waiting for him. When he finally approaches, I touch the top of his head and ask Din what they were doing in the forest.  
  
“He was playing with the children when they came running to me, he was just standing at the edge of the forest; wouldn’t move until I arrived. When I found him, I tried to get him to come back, but he ran into the forest.”  
  
I look curiously at the child, who moves closer to my injured arm. “You ran, huh?”  
  
Din sighs. “As much as his legs would let him.”  
  
The imagine makes me grin but it quickly fades when the child touches my elbow, his green fingers gently rest on the cloth of my jacket. I quickly look to Din, he says nothing but then I feel this strange sensation from elbow and when bring my attention back to the child, his eyes are closed and he’s shaking a little.  
“Tell him to stop,” I plea to Din, afraid the child was hurting himself.  
  
“He’s healing you.”  
  
I gasp and then cry out when the foundling stumbles backwards and plops to the ground. I grab him with both arms without thinking and bring him onto my lap, then it hits me – my elbow doesn’t hurt. Resting the child on my lap, I pull off my jacket and examine my elbow.  
  
“How did he do this?”  
  
“The same way he can control things and people with his mind, I’ve only seen him heal someone once; right before we came to you. He’ll be fine but he’s tired now, we should get him back to the hut.”  
  
I agree and hand him over to Din so I can get up; I grab my jacket off the floor and put it back on, telling Din to lead the way. He carries the foundling in his arms, and we walk in silence for several minutes before I can no longer not speak.  
  
“I love him, Din,” is all I say, because any more words would bring other feelings up that I am not willingly to admit. In true form, he does not respond, and we continue to walk until the village comes into view. I feel relive to be home and hear the local children running towards us at the sight of their Little Frog, it makes my heart warm knowing so many care for the foundling. I tell the children he needs some rest and promise to let him play extra early tomorrow and they all rush off happy to know their friend is okay. We walk into my hut and Din places the child in his wooden crib a local had gifted.  
  
I pretend to be invested in taking my jacket off as I watch him cover the child with a blanket, touching the side of his face gently before stepping away from the crib. I smile to myself and turn my back to him, looking out the window of the hut. It’s the afternoon now and my stomach growls, loud enough to prompt Din to ask if I need to eat.  
  
“I can get you food.”  
  
“We still have bread from last night, thank you though.”  
  
He nods and says he’ll be right back and leaves. When he’s gone, I turn my attention to the child and touch his sweet cheek. “Little Frog, you really are special, aren’t you?”  
  
Leaning down, I kiss him on the forehead then walk over to the small makeshift kitchenette; serve myself two slices of bread and glance over at the crib before exiting the hut. I settle on the steps and watch the village locals’ bushel around as I eat the bread. My back hurts from the fall, but my elbow is fine – I’m still a little stun by the child’s ability to heal. Din had mentioned he could move things with his mind, but I had not experienced it. Now to see him heal my wound, that was astonishing.  
  
My eyes veer from face to face until a familiar spectacle of Beskar armor catches me eye; Din is walking toward me and my heart gallops on a beat I haven’t felt before, and when he approaches me, I am no longer hungry.  
  
“You need more than bread, I ordered you a soup; one for the child too.”  
  
His armor is so shiny, I want to reach out and run my fingers all over; from head to toe, I want to touch and feel the coolness on my skin – and that thought shocks me. I take the bowl of soup and thank him, half-smiling when he hands over a spoon. I feel silly when he sits next to me, because my body stills, and I feel my cheeks get warm. He puts down the other bowl of soup between us and mentions a little space near the edge of the forest.  
  
“The hut for the two of you can go there, we’re going to need help.”  
  
I use the spoon to swish the soup around to cool it down, I don’t look at Din because he said for the two of you and not the three of us; which meant he was going to leave eventually. “Do you remember much of that day?”  
  
He knew what day I meant because it was the day, a significant one for both of us. I know I am pushing him but I want to, I need to know what he is feeling and I am too terrified to stay in the dark; it was easy up until now, to ignore the fact that Din would move on but now, I just need to know.  
  
“Of course,” he says, his tone isn’t harsh just dull.  
  
I am not hungry anymore, but I force a spoonful of soup in my mouth and give myself a chance to calm the nerves racking my body. I feel guilty for bringing it up but there is something I need to say to him, and it needs to be said before anything goes further; before he leaves.  
  
“I…I remember my parents hiding me under the house, my father wanted my mother to stay but she wanted to protect me. She, she wanted to do her part to keep my alive, so they both fought for my life, then gave theirs for mine.”  
  
Din doesn’t speak and I grip the bowl tightly, my fingers curling inward in pain. “I understand now, what they felt. When I told you in the forest that I love the child, I meant it. I would die for him; I would die to protect him and will do so every day of my remaining life.”  
  
I hold back tears and relax my fingers against the bowl. “I don’t want you to go, Din. I want you to stay with us, but I won’t force you. I’ll take care of him, provide him a good home. But where is your part in this? What do you want? Do you want to protect him in the way I do?”  
  
A few streams down my face but I don’t brush them away, instead I get up and collect the child’s bowl of soup. I touch Din’s shoulder with my free hand, and it aches, the coolness of his armor under my fingertips. It aches in a longing way and I am glad I was able to touch him.  
  
“I’m going to check up on him,” I say, leaving him to his own thoughts. Before I step into the hut, I look at him – his shoulders are slumped forward and he’s looking forward; he is beautiful under the afternoon sun and I am grateful to know him.


	3. Ready

“I think you need a bath soon, Little Frog.”  
  
The child gazes up at him, his eyes wide as he brings the spoon to his mouth; he misses and I laugh, reaching over to wipe away excess soup from his chin. I take the spoon from him and rip off a piece of beard, dipping it in the soup and handing it over to him. He sucks on the beard and I watch contently, it’s almost dark now. I haven’t seen Din since I left him on the steps, I’m worried I upset him but glad that I said what I did.  
  
It is true, I don’t want him to go; I want him to stay with us, with me but it’s selfish because he has his own life and we, the child and I, are just an excursion off the main path. He has brought us together and that is enough, I hope.  
  
I smile at the child and close my eyes for a moment, but then there is a wet sensation on my lips. I open my eyes and see that he was trying to feed me, I open my mouth and oblige. He seems delighted and coos, bringing the bread back to his mouth. We sit like this for minutes, him on my lap, the two of us on a chair near the window. The hut is warm and we both feel relaxed, happy, safe.  
  
“He’s finally awake.”  
  
Din is at the door and I turn my head to him, he has a duffel bag in his hands; there is a lump in my throat. He walks in and makes a beeline to us, reaches down and touches the top of the child’s head – he gives him a gentle pat before removing his hand.  
  
He looks at me and I can almost see my reflection in his armor. “You asked if I would do anything to keep him safe, I have my answer.”  
  
I eyed the bag in his hand, trying to keep a solid voice. “What it is?”  
  
Even though he is wearing his helmet, I can feel his eyes on me. So, I look at him, with matched confidence and wait for his answer. He shifts the bag over his shoulder and gives the child one last glance.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
…  
  
The child is rolling a ball of yarn back and forth from one hand to the other, he is seated on the floor of hut of the village seamstress – she is sewing him a new robe in exchange for some help with her gardening. I know nothing of gardening, but I know how to follow instructions. I was knee deep soil for hours and now I’m winding yarn while keeping the seamstress company.  
  
“How are the knees?”  
  
“I’m good, Maudi,” I promise; she’s a sweet woman, lives with her young granddaughter who has taken a liken to the Little Frog. “Thank you for agreeing to make him a new robe, the one he has is starting to tear.”  
  
She waves a hand and smiles. “I’m happy to help, you two must be so lonely with the Mandalorian. The three of you make an interesting family.”  
  
My heart sinks; it has been nearly sixteen days since Din left. No word of what he is doing or what is going on, everyday I wake up afraid he’ll never show up and I know the child feels it to. I have caught him a few times looking up at the sky, as if he was trying to sense something and it makes my heart ache knowing the pair never had a proper goodbye. I try to keep hope, keep things going and admittedly, the two of us have gotten to really know the village and the people quite well. We feel at home, but there is an emptiness that can not be replaced from Din’s absences.  
  
“I had a family once,” I say softly. “A mother and father, then I had nothing.”  
  
Maudi sighs sadly and reaches over for my hand, giving it a squeeze. “The three of you have formed a family, you are bonded. He’ll come back; I know it.”  
  
Her words bring me comfort, but I am not a child; he might not come back at all, even if he intended to – there were many dangers and who knows if those who were after the child found Din. Holding back tears, I smile and quickly change the subject. “I should start a garden when we build our hut.”  
  
….  
  
It’s the next morning, the child has decided to let me sleep in a bit it seems because I can feel the heat of the sun coming through the window; it’s warm and cozy, and a part of me does not want to get out of bed. My body is a little sore from all the gardening, but I remember how cute my little frog looks in his new robe and I know it was worth it.  
  
I get out of bed and stretch, expecting to see the child in his crib, but he’s not there. A panic sets in as I call out for him, running out of the hut not caring that I was barefoot and in a new long sleeping gown Maudi had given me. My eyes squint as they adjust to the sunlight, my feet are cold as I scan the area, then I see him a few feet from the steps. He’s playing in front of the hut with the other children and I am so relived I do not notice the person sitting on the steps until I move closer; it’s a man with his back to me.  
  
The first thing I notice is his brown hair, not so long but it was a bit messy. I open my mouth to ask who he is when my eyes falter to the helmet resting next to him on the steps – I don’t believe what I am seeing but it’s right in front of me. It’s Din in his Beskar armor without his helmet on in plain sight; it occurs to me it is the first time since he became a Mandalorian when he was younger. I wonder if the cool air feels nice on his skin then I wonder what the child’s reaction was.  
I am frozen until I am not, striding forward I whisper his name, afraid it is all an illusion. “Din?”  
  
His body goes still for a moment but then he gets up and my initial reaction is to shut me eyes; what if it’s a mistake?  
  
I hear a laugh, a real genuine one coming from him and I note that his voice sounds different in the fresh air. I hear him ambling up to me and I’m so scared to open my eyes, I squeeze them tight. My heart is pounding, and my fists are clutched so hard it hurts.  
  
“It’s okay, you can open your eyes.”  
  
“Are you sure?”  
  
“The child has seen me; I want you to see me.”  
  
My fingers unlatch, I take a profound breath and open my eyes to his; they are dark brown and soft, his face is aged with crinkles around his eyes, lips look plump and his hair is longer than it looks from behind, coming a little near his shoulder. He looks nervous and I smile, letting myself relax.  
  
“I suppose I was expecting the face from when I last saw you.”  
  
Din smiles and I’m in love, it’s absurd but it feels like everything is finally in place. “I have aged.”  
  
“So have I,” I assure him, pursing my lips playfully. “I was worried you wouldn’t come back.”  
  
He frowns but steps closer, bringing his hand to the side of my face. “I needed to make sure that once I took the helmet off, we could live in peace,” he looks over his shoulder to the child, who was galloping around with his friends. “So, he could live in peace.”  
  
Tears fall from my eyes and he wipes them with both eyes; my lips tremble when I ask if he did it. “Are we safe, Din?”  
  
His face relaxes and he nods, moving his body against mine. I’m aware of how warm he feels, and I can not get enough. “I did it, no one is going to come looking for him, for us, I promise.”  
  
I believe him, I believe him so badly I can’t wait any longer; I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him – I kiss him like it’s a new day and the start of something that was worth fighting for. He kisses me back; my mouth opens for his and he cups my face gently, I want more but it seems, we all have the time in the galaxy, so I kiss him again before breaking away. He rests his forehead against mine and we stand there for a moment with both our eyes closed; the sound of the village waking surrounds us, and I can’t help grin.  
  
Din kisses my forehead and reaches down for my hand; he leads me to the steps, and we sit side by side; his arm rests around my back and I lay my head on his shoulder. We watch the child running around and peace comes over the whole planet as he giggles.  
  
“He’s so happy,” I say.  
  
“He is, he’ll be even happier when we build our new home. I have enough currency to get us help and keep us comfortable for a long time.”  
Leaning my head back, I look at Din. “Will you miss the helmet?”  
  
He stays quiet for a moment, pondering my question before returning my glance. His eyes are so brown in depth, I can feel myself getting lost in them. “No, it was time.”  
  
I close my eyes to receive a kiss from him, he obliges and pulls me even closer to him. I am beyond happy, there isn’t a single world that could describe the feeling that has come over me, especially when I thought this could ever happen; finding a family again.  
  
“Three orphans finding each other in such a vast galaxy.”  
  
Din chuckles and kisses me again on the forehead, giving out a meaningful sigh. “Who would have thought.”  
  
I smile and look to the child, our child, our little foundling and reach down for Din’s hand; he holds it tight and I know he feels it too; contentment. He lifts my hand to his lips and gives it a small peck before pulling my back into his chest. He holds me and we sit there, on the steps of the hut as the sun looms over us, gifting us its ‘warmth – lighting our new life, illuminating it for all to see.


End file.
